Well-bore deflecting tool



Jan. 3, 1939. T. E. M MAHAN 2,142,859

WELL BORE DEFLECTING TOOL Filed Sept. 50, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l JWUQ/YIMZ/OMSf/ZfiZZ/M/V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T. E. MCMAHAN WELL BORE DEFLECTINGTOOL Filed Sept. so, 1937 Jan. 3

Patented Jan. 3, 1 939 UNITED STATES amass v WELL-BORE DEFLECTING TOOLThomas E. McMalian, Long Beach, Calil'., assignor to Lane-Wells Company,Los Angela, Call! a corporation of Delaware Application September 30,1937, Serial No. 166,593

My invention relates to well bore deflecting tools, and among theobjects of my invention are: First, to provide a tool of this classwhich, when properly oriented and released for operation, may

be caused to urge a rat-hole bit or pilot bit in any predeterminedangular deflection, with respect to the well bore;

Second, to provide a. toolof this class which incorporates a deflectingshoe adapted to bear, under spring tension, against the side of the wellbore and remain fixed while the pilot bit rotates andadvances;

Third, to provide a tool of this class wherein the deflecting shoe isreadily held in an inoperative position contiguous to the side of the'bit during descent, and is quickly released by engagement with thebottom of the well bore.

Fourth, to provide a tool of this class whereby the spring tensionagainst the deflecting shoe may be released at the will of the operator;

Fifth, to provide a deflecting tool which is particularly advantageouswhen it is desired to drill off of a cement plug previously set in thebottom of the well bore, the deflecting tool tending to counteract anytendency of the pilot bit to gyrate around the periphery of the cementplug and thereby fail to deflect in the desired direction; and

Sixth, to provide, on the whole, a novelly constructed deflecting toolwhich is durable, efllcient in its action, and which may be run withsafety into or withdrawn from a well bore.

With the above and other objects in view, as may hereinafter appear,reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of my deflecting tool shown inassociation with a rat-hole bit or pilot bit;

Figure 2 is an elevational view at right angles to'Figure 1 illustratingthe deflecting shoe only;

Figure 3'is a longitudinal sectional view of the deflecting tool shownin its operating position, holding a pilot bit at adeflected angle;

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the deflecting tool in the positionassumed when the pilot bit hascompleted its drilling operation and thetension spring has been released; and

Figures 5, 6 and '7 are enlarged, transverse sectional views of thedeflecting tool taken through 5-5, 8-6 and 1-1 of Figure 1.

My deflecting tool incorporates a pilot bit I of any suitable design.The pilot bit I is smaller than the well bore from which it is to bedeflected, as shown best in Figures 3 and 5. The bit I is. attached to adrilling stem Z- Q f agmentar- 10 Claims. (01. 255-1 ilywhich, in turn,is connected with drill pipenot shown.

A sleeve 3 slidably flts the stem 2. The lower end of the sleeve. 3 isprovided with coarse screw threads and receives a retainer nut 4. Acollar 5 is rotatably mounted on the sleeve 3 above the nut l. Thecollar 5 is provided with laterally directed hinge lugs 8 which extendinto slots 1 provided in a deflecting shoe 8. A hinge pin 9 trayersesthe deflecting shoe'8 and lugs 6,

The deflecting shoe 8 is relatively broad, as well as long, and iscurved both transversely and longitudinally in such a manner asto'conform substantially to the side of the bit I and protrude below thebit. The lower extremity of the shoe is preferably capable of assuming aposition in substantial axial alinement with the bit, as shown inFigure 1. In order to clear the cutting ribs III of the bit I, the shoe8 may be provided with longitudinal slot II which fits over one of theribs III. Near its lower end, the shoe 8 is provided with longitudinallyextending ridges I2 which are adapted to anchor into the formation andprevent rotation of the shoe, as will be brought out in more detailhereinafter. The shoe is initially secured against the side of the bitI- by means of a shear pin I3 which extends transversely through theslot II and the cutting.

rib I8 fitted therein, as shown best in the transverse sectionalview,-Flgure 6.

The upper endof the shoe 8 terminates in a yoke I4 which extendsangularly with respect to the body of the shoe and embraces the sleeve 3above the collar 5. A ring I5 rests upon the yoke I 4 and is urgeddownwardly thereagainst by means of a heavy spring I6. The upper end ofthe sleeve 3 is provided with an enlargement I'I against which thespring I6 bears. The tendency of the spring I6 is to force downwardly onthe yoke I 4 and thereby urge the extremity of the shoe laterally awayfrom the bit I, so as to assume the position shown in Figure 3.Initially, however, thistendency is restrained by the shear pin I3.

The upper end oi the bit I is provided with an axially directed clutchelement I8 which is adapted to engage a corresponding clutch element I9formed in the lower end of the retaine nut 4.

Operation 01' my deflecting tool is as follows: The tool is made up asshown in Figure 1, with theshear pin I8 restraining the shoe against theside of the bit I, so that its lower end projects ahead of the bit. Thetool is set against the bottom of the well bore with suiflcient force toshear the pin I3, the tool first being oriented. When the pin i3 issheared the spring l6 urges the shoe outwardly, as shown in Figure 3.The drill string is then raised and lowered several times to 1 spud inthe bit I and permit the ridges I2 to work themselves into theformation. The bit I is then rotated but the sleeve 3 and shoe 8 remainflxed. As the bit advances in the rat-hole or pilot-hole, the sleeve 3permits the drill stem 2 to advance. After completing the pilot-hole thebit is withdrawn and the frictional engagement of the shoe retains thesleeve 3 against upward movement until the clutch elements l8 and I9engage. Thereupon the'bit is rotated in a direction to unscrew the nut4. For this purpose, the collar 5 is keyed by means of a key pin 20 tothe sleeve 3 in such a manner that upon release of the retainer nut 4,the collar 5 is free to drop downwardly from the sleeve 3, or moreaccurately, the spring I6 is free to urge the sleeve upwardly fromwithin the collar 5, all as shown best in Figure 4. When the tension ofthe spring I6 is released, the shoe hangs loosely along the side of thebit, either between the ribs In or straddle one of them,.

whereby the tool may be readily withdrawn from the well bore. It shouldbe borne in mind, however, that even though the tension against the shoewere not released, the tool may still be withdrawn from the well, forthe reason that the shoe engages the well bore at a point below itsfulcrum. During the drilling operations, the lateral thrust of the shoe8 urges the drill at an angle with respect to the bore hole, so that thepilot hole is deflected in the direction determined by orientation ofthe deflecting shoe. A relatively large pilot hole may be formed so thatthe subsequent reaming operation may be minimized.

Usually it is desired to deflect only a very few degrees from the wellbore, and consequently the drill stem and drilling string thereabovewill bend sufflciently. when, however, it is desired to deflect atgreater angles, it is, of course, contemplated that a conventionaluniversal joint may be employed above the stem 2, that is, between thestem 2 and the drilling string. Universal or knuckle joints for thispurpose are well known in the art and need not be'here shown.

Though I have shown and described a particular embodiment of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited thereto, but desire to include inthe scope of my invention the constructions, combinations andarrangements substantially as embraced in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a well bore deflecting tool, the combination with a drillingstring and bit, of: a deflecting shoe slidably mounted on said drillingstring above said bit; yieldable means urging said shoe laterally withrespect to said drilling string into engagement with the side wall ofthe well bore,

said deflecting shoe tending to remain fixed against rotation andlongitudinal movement when I g in engagement with the well bore, wherebysaid drilling string may advance therethrough as said for initiallyrestrainbit is operated; and means ing said yieldable means.

2. In a well bore deflecting tool, the combination with a drillingstring and bit, of 'a deflecting member slidably and revolvably mountegabove said bit; yieldable means for urging said deflecting memberlaterally with respect to said drillin St i g against one side of thewell bore; whereby said'deflecting member bears against one wall of awell bore and said bit is urged toward the opposite wall; saiddeflecting shoe tending to remain flxed against rotation andlongitudinal movement when in engagement with the well bore, wherebysaid drilling string may advance therethrough as said bit is operated;and means for initially restraining said deflecting member against theaction of said yieldable means.

3. In a well bore deflecting tool, the combination with a drillingstring and bit, of a deflecting member; yieldable means for urging saiddeflecting member laterally into engagement with one wall of the wellbore thereby to urge the bit toward the opposite wall; a sleeve slidablyand revolvably mounted above said bit and carrying said yieldable meansand deflecting member; and a restraining means releasable bymanipulation of the drilling string for initially restraining saidsleeve, yieldable means and deflecting member.

4. A well bore deflecting tool comprising: a drilling string; a pilotbit attached thereto; a deflecting member journaled above said bittransversely to the axis of said drilling string and adapted to extenddownwardly along one side of and terminating beyond said bit; yieldablemeans tending to urge the deflecting member laterally; and means forrestraining said deflectingv member against lateral movement, releasableby engagement of said deflecting member with the bottom of the wellbore.

5. A well bore deflecting tool comprising: a drilling string; a pilotbit attached thereto; a sleeve on said drilling string; a deflecting armtransversely hinged to said sleeve and initially depending along theside of said bit and extending therebeyond; yieldable means on saidsleeve for urging said deflecting arm laterally; and means forrestraining said deflecting arm against lateral movement, releasable byengagement of said deflecting arm with the bottom of the well bore.

6. A well bore deflecting tool comprising: a drilling stem; 9. pilot bitattached thereto; and a deflecting device slidably and revolvablymounted on said stem and engageable with one wall of a well bore to urgethe bit toward the opposite wall of said well bore and positioned freeand clear of said bit when in operation, and means incorporated on saiddeflecting device and engageable with the side wall of the well bore torestrain said device against rotation or longitudinal movement duringthe drilling with said bit.

'7. A well bore deflecting tool comprising: a drilling string; a pilotbit attached thereto; a sleeve on said drilling string; a deflectingarm. transversely hinged to said sleeve and initially depending alongthe side of said bit and extending therebeyond; yieldable means on saidsleeve for urging said deflecting arm' laterally; means for restrainingsaid deflecting arm against lateral movement, releasable by engagementof said deflecting arm with the bottom of the well bore; and meansoperable by the pilot bit to disengage said deflecting arm from saidyieldable means, whereby the deflecting arm hangs freely for withdrawalof the tool. A

8. The combination with a drilling string from which depends a stem anddrilling bit, of a deflecting tool comprising: a yieldable laterally'Vance through said holding structure as the bit progresses.

9. The combination with a drilling string from which depends a stem anddrilling bit, of a deflecting tool comprising: a yieldable laterallythrusting means for deflecting said bit; said means adapted to engagethe side wall of a well bore and tending to be restrained in itsposition of engagement therewith; a mounting structure slidably andrevolvably supporting said means on said drilling stem whereby, whensaid means is in engagement with the side wall of the well bore and thebit is rotated, the stem may advance through said holding structure asthe bit progresses; and a device initially holding said meansinoperative during insertion of the drilling string and releasable uponmanipulation of the drilling string. a 1

10. The combination with a drilling string from which depends a stem anddrilling bit, of a defleeting tool comprising: a yieldabie laterallythrusting means for deflecting said bit, said engagement with the sidewall of the well bore and the bit is rotated, the stem may advancethrough said holding structure as the bit prograsses; a device initiallyholding said means inoperative during insertion of the drilling stringand releasable upon manipulation of the drilling string; and anotherdevice adapted to render said means inoperative for withdrawal of saiddrilling string.

THOMAS E. YMCMAHAN.

